Voters overwhelmingly oppose the Supreme Court's recent decision in Citizen's United that invalidated bans on election spending by corporations. Although the Supreme Court does not typically issue rulings the differ dramatically from public opinion, a Washington Post-ABC News poll finds that 80% of voters disagree with the ruling.
The high level of public opposition likely encouraged President Obama to criticize the decision during his recent State of the Union Address. Justice Alito, one of the conservative Justices who favored lifting the spending bans, visibly disapproved of Obama's criticism.
The poll also finds that voters in both major parties disagree with the rulings. 85% of Democrats, 76% of Republicans, and 81% of Independents oppose the ruling. Despite the widespread opposition among voters, leading Republicans in Congress vow to oppose any legislative efforts to erect additional burdens on corporate spending (such as disclosure requirements, limits on bailout recipients, etc.). Furthermore, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell praised the ruling as a victory for free speech.
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